Bo Bichette looms as the next move, but price, position, and roster clarity make the pivot anything but simple.
The Red Sox didn’t just lose a target Saturday night.
They lost the board they’d been staring at all winter.
Alex Bregman is off the table, reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs that comes with a full no-trade clause and zero opt-outs.
It was decisive, expensive, and final.
And once the news broke, the question in Boston shifted immediately from ‘why’ to ‘what now?’
Not long after Bregman landed in Chicago, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale offered a familiar answer.
“The Boston Red Sox will now turn their sights to Bo Bichette,” Nightengale wrote on X.
It’s not a surprise.
Bichette has been hovering around the edges of Boston’s offseason plans from the start, even when Bregman felt like the cleaner positional fit. With Bregman gone, Bichette may now be the best pure bat left on the board - though outfielder Kyle Tucker still has his supporters in that debate (they’re not signing Tucker, guys).
The complication, as always, is price and placement.
Bichette is reportedly seeking a deal north of $300 million, a figure that forces the Red Sox to confront not just their appetite for spending, but how aggressively they want to reshape the infield they’ve been carefully assembling. Paying that kind of money isn’t just about talent, it’s about commitment and clarity.
And clarity is exactly what Boston doesn’t have yet:
- Trevor Story is effectively locked into either shortstop or second base
- First base is accounted for with Wilson Contreras and Triston Casas in the mix
- Marcelo Mayer may not be a finished product, but the organization has made it clear he’ll enter spring training with a legitimate chance to earn everyday reps somewhere on the dirt - third, short, or second
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Bo Bichette (11) throws to first for an out against Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman (25) in the eighth inning during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images)MORE RED SOX STORIES:
That leaves a puzzle with moving pieces still in motion.
If Mayer forces the issue, there may only be one spot available. And if that spot is second or third, it raises the obvious question:
Where does Bichette play?
Since debuting in 2019, he’s been exclusively a shortstop at the big-league level. Asking him to shift positions isn’t impossible, but it’s not trivial - especially when paired with a nine-figure contract.
Then there’s Kristian Campbell, the wildcard nobody wants to fully rule out. It’s a long shot, but not an absurd one.
A year ago, Campbell was considered one of the five best prospects in baseball. A loud spring could put him back in the conversation at second base and further complicate the picture.
None of this means Bichette isn’t a fit. It means the Red Sox would be committing to letting the roster sort itself out around him - the same kind of bet they’d be making financially.
On the field, the appeal is obvious. In seven seasons with Toronto, Bichette has hit .294 with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS, earning two All-Star selections before turning 28. He’s been durable, productive, and consistently impactful at a premium position. Those players don’t linger long on the market.
So with Bregman gone, Boston finds itself back in familiar territory:
Weighing talent against structure, upside against fit, and patience against urgency.
If the Red Sox pivot hard toward Bichette, they’re not just replacing a third baseman. They’re choosing to let the rest of the puzzle adjust accordingly.
And now, they get to decide how bold they want that adjustment to be.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning for game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. (Nick Turchiaro/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.